RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Carlos Pascual, January 15, 2009, The Brookings Institution
The 44th president will face a world of transnational threats and multiple crises. The United States cannot succeed alone. Task 1 is to rebuild U.S. credibility. We must forge positions on nuclear security and climate change, or watch these issues shaped without us. This memorandum sets an agenda to lead internationally. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Bilal Y. Saab, December 18, 2008, The Brookings Institution
The Afghanistan-Pakistan border region has become the central front in the war on terror. Pakistan is suffering from social, political and economic turmoil, while Afghanistan’s security situation continues to deteriorate with a resurgent Taliban. Seven years after the 9/11 attacks, these two countries may present the greatest foreign policy challenge facing the next president. Read More
UPCOMING EVENT
Thursday, November 20, 2008
9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Washington, DC
To face the daunting problems of the global financial crisis to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and transnational threats such as nuclear proliferation, terrorism and global climate change, the new Obama administration will need to forge global partnerships and usher in a new era of international cooperation. On November 20, the Managing Global Insecurity (MGI) Project will release “A Plan for Action,” a comprehensive set of foreign policy recommendations for the next U.S. president—and other world leaders—to address the most critical challenges facing the world today. Read More
PAST EVENT
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
The incoming administration has indicated that one of its first priorities will be to end the detention of “enemy combatants” at Guantanamo Bay. The Scouting Report continued its weekly web chat with Brookings expert Benjamin Wittes, who was online to answer questions about how Obama can work to put a legal framework in place to end the clash over detainee rights. Politico's David Mark moderated.
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RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Michael E. O'Hanlon, November 14, 2008, The Wall Street Journal
The war in Afghanistan is not going well, but that does not mean the U.S. should give up. Michael O'Hanlon argues it is imperative that the U.S. help the Afghanistan government recruit, vet, train, and equip 300,000 to 400,000 new Afghan troops. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Managing Global Insecurity, November 2008, The Brookings Institution
American and global leaders face a choice: they can either use this moment to help shape an international, rule-based order that will protect their global interests, or resign themselves to an ad hoc international system where they are increasingly powerless to shape the course of international affairs. The longer the delay in new approaches and new cooperation against today’s threats, the more difficult the challenges will become. Global leaders must chart a shared path forward that marries power and responsibility to achieve together what cannot be achieved apart: peace and security in a transnational world. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Bruce Riedel, November 2008, Current History
In the global struggle against terrorism, Pakistan poses paradoxes and enigmas. Bruce Riedel believes understanding these issues—and developing a strategy to deal with them—may constitute the single most important foreign policy challenge facing the United States. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Daniel L. Byman, November 05, 2008, Slate
Terrorism analysts repeatedly warned that al-Qaeda might strike in the days leading up to the election, but November 4th came and went without incident. Daniel Byman explains why the U.S. did not witness any acts of terrorism in the run-up to this years election. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Strobe Talbott, November 02, 2008, Financial Times
Climate change, nuclear proliferation, global trade and poverty, pandemics and terrorism will top the next president's agenda. The biggest job for the new U.S. administration, says Strobe Talbott, is to find better methods of governing an interdependent world. That is the only way to ensure the upside of globalization prevails over the downside. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Vanda Felbab-Brown, October 28, 2008, The Brookings Institution
Violence in Afghanistan has increased dramatically and now paralyzes much of the country. Vanda Felbab-Brown explores the current options for dealing with the growing crisis and makes recommendations for creating sustainable security. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Bruce Riedel, October 27, 2008, Newsweek
Bruce Riedel joined Newsweek to discuss the continuing threat from Al Qaeda, their successes and failures, and options for fighting the organization now and in the future. Read More
PAST EVENT
Friday, October 24, 2008
9:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Washington, DC
Brookings hosted a discussion on U.S. counterterrorism strategies for the future as outlined in a new paper, Strategic Counterterrorism, by Daniel Benjamin, director of the Center on the United States and Europe and former National Security Council director for counterterrorism. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Daniel Benjamin, October 22, 2008, Slate
Daniel Benjamin analyzes the trend for jihadists to act in the run-up to or months following an election. Benjamin argues that organizations like al-Qaeda want to leave their fingerprints on big historical events, because they want to be seen as a central player in determining the outcome. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Daniel Benjamin, October 2008, The Brookings Institution
Terrorism is a real and urgent threat to the U.S. and its interests; a threat that could become far more dangerous if terrorists acquire nuclear or biological weapons. Daniel Benjamin explores the drawbacks of using military force in combating terrorism and elaborates on the need for a positive agenda for the Muslim world -- one that deepens U.S. engagement in Muslim nations as they seek to modernize. Read More
PAST EVENT
Monday, October 20, 2008
12:30 PM to 2:00 PM
Washington, DC
The Saban Center for Middle East Policy held a policy luncheon with Bruce Riedel, Senior Fellow at the Saban Center, to discuss his new book, The Search for Al Qaeda. Wendy Chamberlin, President of the Middle East Institute, offered insights on Riedel’s book. Martin Indyk, Saban Center Director, chaired the discussion. Read More